London and New York-based sales company Miz en Seine Company has acquired international rights to two genre titles to be released in the European film market: crime thriller “The Forge” and psychological thriller “Desert Road.”
Forge, which had its world premiere at SXSW, marks the feature directorial debut of AFI Conservatory graduate Jin Ai Ng. The film stars Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker) and Andy Zhu (Beef) as the brothers Coco, an extraordinarily talented painter, and Raymond, a natural hustler. Closed by an underrated FBI agent hungry for a career move, the two accept a billionaire’s offer to trade and sell their family’s art collection.
“Desert Road,” directed by Shannon Triplett, which also premiered at SXSW, is about a young photographer who gets stuck in a time loop after his car breaks down on a remote desert road.He must master the rules of the time loop and plan his escape before he gets trapped forever. The cast includes Kristin Froseth (The Assistant, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Private Hell), with supporting roles from Beau Bridges (The Descendants) and Ryan Hurst (Saving Private Ryan). Steven Schneider (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Split) and Roy Lee (The Barbarian, Weapons, The Long Walk) will serve as producers.
The acquisition expands MSC’s EFM lineup, which also features “Forelock,” starring David Krumholtz (“Oppenheimer”) and Caleb Alexander Smith (“Old’s Fair”), and “Billy Knight,” headlined by Al Pacino (“The Godfather”), Charlie Heaton (“Stranger Things”) and Diana Silvers (“Booksmart”).
MSC CEO Paul Yates said: “We are very excited to launch Forge and Desert Road at EFM.” “My love for the film business began at this market, and I will forever be in awe of what Beki Probst accomplished by founding the market. I can’t think of a better place to release these two great titles alongside our incredible slate than at this year’s European Film Market in Berlin.”
Josh Clayton’s Firebrand Media Group will distribute “Desert Road” theatrically in the United States later this year.
